Infant support

ABSTRACT

An inflated cushion support with releasably attached, overlapping arms that may be wrapped around an infant at the front to hold him sitting up. The support is weighted in the bottom at the back to hold it with the arms at the front raised enough to provide clearance for the infant&#39;&#39;s legs.

Umted States Patent 1191 1111 3,840,916

Jennings Oct, 15, 1974 [54] INFANT SUPPORT 2,961,668 11/1960 9 [76]Inventor: Luree C. Jennings, 600 E. 63rd St., gflgg Marathon. 330503,635,528 1/1972 Strom 297/456 [22] Filed: Apr. 13, 1973 PrzmaryExammerCasm1r A. Nunberg PP N05 350,685 Attorney, Agent, or FirmOltmanand Flynn 52 us. Cl. 5/327 R, 5/337 1 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. A47c 22/00An inflated cushion support with releasably attached, [58] Field ofSearch 5/327, 337, 3l7, 344, 92; overlapping arms that may be wrappedaround an in- 297/181, 385, 456 fant at the front to hold him sittingup. The support is weighted in the bottom at the back to hold it withthe [56] References Cited arms at the front raised enough to provideclearance UNITED STATES PATENTS for the infants legs- 2,652,183 9/1953Hlivka 297/385 x 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures INFANT SUPPORT BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENITON Various devices have been proposed heretofore forsupporting an infant in a sitting-up position, but the prior deviceshave not been entirely satisfactory from the standpoint of the infantscomfort and/or feeling of security. Also, many such infant supports havebeen relatively bulky and cumbersome to carry about to the differentlocations where it may be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a noveland improved infant support which overcomes difficulties anddisadvantages associated with previously proposed devices for this samepurpose. It provides a cushioned support that completely envelopes theinfant snugly, so as to provide both comfort and a feeling of securitysomewhat comparable to being held on someones lap. Preferably, thepresent infant support is inflated for use, and it may be deflatedreadily for ease of transport, such as when traveling.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide anovel and improved support for comfortably and securely holding aninfant in a sitting-up position.

Another object of this invention is to provide such an infant supportwhich is convenient to use and to carry from place to place.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description of two presently preferred embodimentsthereof, which are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view taken from the right end of FIG. 1 andshowing an infant in phantom lines sitting upright inside this support;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view showing thefastener strips on the free ends of the arms on the FIG. 1 infantholder;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, front-to-back cross-section through this infantholder, taken along the line 4 4 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view showing a simplified secondembodiment of the infant holder in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of this infant holder, viewed from theright end of FIG. 5.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and not of limitation.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 4, the presently preferred embodiment of thisinvention is in the form of a hollow shell or envelope 10 of suitableflexible material, such as vinyl, which is inflated with air, carbondioxide or' other suitable gas enough to sit erect and support an infantbut still be soft and deformable enough to have a cushioning effect orfeel. A suitable conventional valve (not shown) may be provided on thebody to enable it to be inflated or deflated, when desired, or it may beinflated permanently and then sealed. Essentially, the body 10 is asplit ring which is closed at the back 11 and on the opposite sides 12and 13, and has separable, overlapping arms 14 and 15 at the front.

As shown in FIG. 3, the separable free ends of the arms carry Velcrofastener strips 16 and 17, respectively, which may be engaged with oneanother to releasably secure the ends of the arms together so as toclose the cushion ring snugly around the infant, as indicated in FIG. 2.One of these fastener strips has a pile containing a myriad of filamentloops, and the other has a pile containing a multiplicity of filamenthooks for interlocking engagement with these loops to releasably lockthe two strips to one another when they are pressed together. Thesestrips may be separated by an adult pulling the arms 14 and 15 apartmanually.

The upstanding back 11 and the opposite sides 12, 13 of the split-ringcushion preferably are flat-bottomed, and they rest on a floor or otherhorizontal support on which the infant is to be placed sitting up. Theoverlapping arms 14 and 15, however, are appreciably shorter verticallythan the sides 12, 13 and they will be spaced above the floor or othersupport to provide a vertical clearance 18 (FIG.'2) for passing theinfants legs comfortably when he is sitting upright.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 4, the split-ring cushion 10 is weighted onthe bottom at the back, such as by having a bottom compartment in theback partly filled with sand, BBs, or other suitable heavy material 19,to insure that it sits erect with the arms 14 and 15 at the front in theraised horizontal position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the preferred embodiment, the overlapping ends of the arms, 14 and 15are contoured and/or decorated to look like the paws of a bear or otheranimal. Also, a head rest 20 provided on the upper end of the back 11 ofthe split-ring cushion is shaped and/or decorated to look like the headof a bear or other animal. This head rest 20 extends well above thelevel of the tops of the sides 12, 13 and the arms l4, 15.

In the use of this infant holder, the arms 14 and 15 and sides -12 and13 are sufficiently flexible to be wrapped snugly around the infant atthe sides and front,

so that his back rests against the front surface on the back 11 of thesupport and the arms 14 and 15 embrace him comfortably at the front,withone paw 14 extending in front of the other 15.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment of this invention which issimpler than the embodiment of FIGS. 1 4 in that the animals head on theback and the paws are omitted. In this second embodiment, one armoverlies the other instead of extending in front of it, as in theembodiment of FIGS. 1 4. In all other respects, it is essentiallysimilar to the first-described embodiment, and corresponding elementsare given the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 4, but with an asuffix added. A detailed description of these elements will be omittedas repetitious and unnecessary for a clear understanding of this secondembodiment.

It is to be understood that the split-ring cushion need not be a hollow,inflatable envelope, as shown, but may instead be of foam rubber orother suitable material giving the desired cushioning effect and thedesired flexibility at the overlapping arms, coupled with the ability tosit erect with a self-sustaining configuration that will support aninfant adequately. Also the fasteners for the arms may be snapfasteners, or other manu- 3 ally releasable fasteners, if desired,instead of Velcro strips.

I claim:

1. In an infant support comprising a self-supporting cushion body in theform of a non-jointed split ring having flexible, overlapping arms atthe front which are separable so that said split ring may encircle aninfant with the arms overlapped at the front of the infant and with theback of the split ring providing support for the back of the infant, theimprovements wherein:

said split ring has self supporting back and side portions forsitting'hor'iz'ontally on a horizontal support in an upright positionand extending from the support upward a substantial distance topartially encircle and position the infant in an upright sittingposition, said back portion having weight means therein to ensure thatsaid split ring sits erect on said horizontal support, the tops of saidarms being substantially flush with the tops of said side portions, andsaid arms having a substantially smaller vertical thickness than saidside portions forming a single continuous open space under said arms atthe front of said split ring when sitting erect on said support forreceiving the legs of the infant, said split ring being substantiallythicker horizontally than the arms of the infant for providing cushionedarm and hand rests for the infant, and said arms of said split ringhaving overlapping front end portions on which complementary fastenersare affixed for releaseably attaching said arms together overlapping oneanother at the front to close the ring snugly around the sitting infantand normally preventing the infant from leaving the ring.

2. The infant support as claimed in claim 1 in which said complementaryfasteners comprise strips on the front end portions of the arms withinterlocking projections thereon that are separable by manually pullingthem apart.

3. The infant support as claimed in claim 2 in which said split ring isa hollow shell of flexible material inflated with air or another gas.

4. The infant support as claimed in claim 3 in which said stripscomprise Velcro.

5. The infant support as claimed in claim 4 in which said back portionof said split ring extends higher than said side portions and provides aheadr'est;

1. In an infant support comprising a self-supporting cushion body in theform of a non-jointed split ring having flexible, overlapping arms atthe front which are separable so that said split ring may encircle aninfant with the arms overlapped at the front of the infant and with theback of the split ring providing support for the back of the infant, theimprovements wherein: said split ring has self supporting back and sideportions for sitting horizontally on a horizontal support in an uprightposition and extending from the support upward a substantial distance topartially encircle and position the infant in an upright sittingposition, said back portion having weight means therein to ensure thatsaid split ring sits erect on said horizontal support, the tops of saidarms being substantially flush with the tops of said side portions, andsaid arms having a substantially smaller vertical thickness than saidside portions forming a single continuous open space under said arms atthe front of said split ring when sitting erect on said support forreceiving the legs of the infant, said split ring being substantiallythicker horizontally than the arms of the infant for providing cushionedarm and hand rests for the infant, and said arms of said split ringhaving overlapping front end portions on which complementary fastenersare affixed for releaseably attaching said arms together overlapping oneanother at the front to close the ring snugly around the sitting infantand normally preventing the infant from leaving the ring.
 2. The infantsupport as claimed in claim 1 in which said complementary fastenerscomprise strips on the front end portions of the arms with interlockingprojections thereon that are separable by manually pulling them apart.3. The infant support as claimed in claim 2 in which said split ring isa hollow shell of flexible material inflated with air or another gas. 4.The infant support as claimed in claim 3 in which said strips compriseVelcro.
 5. The infant support as claimed in claim 4 in which said backportion of said split ring extends higher than said side portions andprovides a headrest.